


Front Row Seat

by PatterCake



Category: Gregory Horror Show
Genre: Angst, Hurt and comfort, Identity loss, M/M, Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26999836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatterCake/pseuds/PatterCake
Summary: A stressed out Haniwa decides to catch a show at the local theatre. Only to end up discovering things he'd completely forgotten (as well as learning a few new things about love) when someone shows him his fantasies.
Relationships: Bonsai Kabuki/Haniwa Salaryman
Comments: 13
Kudos: 5





	1. Home

Haniwa suspected the doctor was just sick to death of him coming in every other week complaining about migraines or trouble sleeping. “It’s just stress!” he always huffed at him, almost bursting at the seams from frustration, “just stress! I can’t believe you’re wasting my time with this- time I could be using to pursue actual medicine! Not that you’d know about that-” 

The doctor had sighed heavily and Hawniwa had checked his wrist watch again. Clocking out of work early for these appointments meant a smaller paycheck- Time, as the strange clock man living next to him always said, is money. Dr Fritz wasn’t the only one who felt like he had more important places to be. 

Dr Fritz gave him the usual prescription of more healthy food and less coffee, more sleeping in a bed, less collapsing on his desk and of course, less work. But there was no way he could do any of that and they both knew it.

“And take this,” the doctor had handed him a slip of paper. At first he thought it was a prescription slip but no, just a ticket. “The arts can have a healing effect on us- maybe take some time off to go see the show.” 

So here he was now. Sat in an empty theatre with his crumpled ticket, already worrying about all the work he was missing and craving his next hit of caffeine. 

Something rustled the striped curtains, drawing his attention. He glanced upwards and thought he saw the flash of a wide eye staring at him before the curtains shut tightly. He shifted in his seat and got ready for the show to start. 

The curtain was raised to slowly reveal the dancer. Haniwa watched as inch by inch they were displayed to the audience. And he had to admit it was a pretty striking display. With bright red skin, a bonsai embedded in their head and three wide, staring eyes this person was strange even by Gregory House standards. 

But even so he was enthralled by the elegant flick of the fan and the swish of their green skirt as they began to move and call to the audience;

“Fantasy time!”

Haniwa had to smile at that- there was no time in his schedule for fantasies. Only the facts listed on spreadsheets. Only his work, though he had to admit he had no idea what he was working for. What company, or organisation he was employed by. Or even… why he was working. Was it for his wife? But what did she look like? His child? But each time he tried to remember their name it was something different. All he knew was that thinking about it brought on migraines painful enough to make his clay head feel like it was cracking. And when the pain had passed his work was always there, to soothe him and trap him. Piles of eternally unfinished papers waiting for him always. 

The dancer flicked their red wrists again, folding and unfolding the fan with a fluid expertise he had to admire. There was a heart printed in the middle of the fan and as he watched it flutter with their precise, practiced motions he did feel somewhat calmer. Maybe art was healing? Or perhaps he was just falling asleep from exhaustion after sitting in one place for too long…

“Dreams,” called the dancer in a sing song voice that called his attention, “are a pathway to our deepest fantasies!”

Haniwa could only nod. 

“The bonsai is a fantasy in miniature-” They stated, striking an impressive pose. “But it is trapped within a box, a small box. Your fantasies-”

Here the fan was sharply pointed directly at him. Haniwa briefly glanced around in the hope there was someone else here but the theatre was still empty. “Are also trapped! Get on the stage so I can set them free!” Haniwa had never liked drawing attention to himself. He would much rather fade into the crowd and into obscurity than risk getting mocked. But there was no one else around so he shyly climbed onto the stage, almost tripping over his long trench coat as he did so. 

The dancer actually had to leap forward and catch him in their arms. “I’m sorry- I’m just a little clumsy,” he said quickly and tipped his hat awkwardly, “not everyone is a great dancer like you.”

“Ooooh stop it!” The dancer’s blush was incredibly obvious because of the black markings on their face so they covered their cheeks with their fan, “don’t flatter me! Not when I’m about to show you your greatest fantasyyy!”

Haniwa was about to ask what all this fantasy business was about when they interrupted him with a command. “Look into my third eye!”

Haniwa obeyed. Nothing happened and he was about to say that although he couldn’t see anything he’d call a fantasy, the dancer was lucky to have such beautifully coloured, vivid green eyes. But before he could open his mouth the world swam before him. 

He panicked- was he fainting? Had he overworked himself? But everything soon cleared up to reveal a room. 

It was just a simple drab bedroom- evidently belonging to a cheap apartment that had a leaky tap, though how he knew this detail he couldn’t say. He just knew somehow. This place was… familiar to him. 

As was the gentle humming he heard emanating from the kitchen, and the soft shuffle of someone’s slippers. Home, the word suddenly came to him, this is my home. My home. This is what I’m working for.

“Coming home from work…” Bonsai Kabuki narrated just as Haniwa heard the click of his house door opening, “and having a homemade dinner already made for you, knowing you don’t have to work tomorrow…”

Haniwas heard his own voice calling “Honey! I’m home!” and he couldn’t stop the pure joy he felt, or the tears pricking the edges of his hole eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten a meal cooked just for him, one made with love. And the thought of not having to work made him nearly cry tears of joy just looking at himself napping in the bed of his simple, run down apartment. If he didn’t have to work he could watch Tv, or read, or go outside and just walk around. Go see a film or even a show like this one. He could play a sport, go out hiking like he’d once loved, go swimming- or any one of his hobbies. He had hobbies! How could he have forgotten that! How could he have forgotten that he had things he wanted to do- that he only needed to stop working and he could do anything. 

How could he have forgotten what made him who he was. How could he have forgotten that his name was… was…

Was…

What _was_ his name? 

The beautiful fantasy faded just as it had started. He was back in the theatre, blinking at the bright lights in confusion and anguish. It had just been a dream, a wonderful dream. And now he’d woken up... 

Bonsai Kabuki frowned. His job was to bring people joy and show them what they most desired, yet this man didn’t seem happy at all. “Are you alright?” he asked nervously. 

The man nodded and checked his wristwatch. “Good show,” he said simply, “Now I need to go back to work. Someone’s gotta pay the bills.”

With that he turned and was about to walk off the stage. “Wait!” Kabuki called after him in a panicked voice, “Your fantasy did you… did you like it?”

Haniwa stopped and thought for a moment, frowning. “I don’t remember what I saw.” He admitted, “All I remember is… one word.”

Bonsai cocked his head curiously, “One word?”

There was a moment of silence. 

“Home…” Haniwa whispered sadly as half remembered recollections hazily passed his stream of consciousness, “I did like my fantasy. If it’s alright with you… I’d like to come and see it again some time, when I’m not working.”

Kabuki grinned wide enough to show the tiny fangs he was slightly self conscious about, “Yes of course! You are always welcome in the theatre of fantasy- no need to even buy a ticket hmhm,” the dancer winked at him and Haniwa wondered whether they were aware that they winked by closing two eyes and leaving the right one open as opposed to the normal way to wink, “it's on the house~” 

Haniwa tipped his hat and said a final thank you before heading back out into the grey, mechanical world of work he was cursed to forever be a cog in, fading into obscurity. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Image drawn by Vennitrii - you can find the on tumblr as vennitrii and on twitter as vennitrii, on youtube as VENNITRII-YT, and on discord as ikea-ballpit#7925 :)


	2. Important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to Ven for their continued enabling of my brainrot... u are the sole reason I ship these two now I hope ur proud of urself.

While Bonsai Kabuki liked to think of himself as a far better performer than Poor Conductor, as well as a much better dresser, he hated to admit that recently when the curtain was pulled up to reveal rows of empty seats he felt exactly like him. Like an artist pushed aside, forgotten, unimportant. 

Even worse was when there were people present but they were the sort of mean sceptics that threw their food at him mid performance. It was absolutely crushing. All he wanted was to show people their fantasies. How people could be so cruel to someone that only wanted to show them their greatest desire was something he couldn’t understand. Why weren’t they happy? Why couldn’t he make them all happy?

Was it his fault? 

Being treated like that for months had taken its toll on him. His once healthy bonsai had started to wilt from the stress of being so unloved, and he started wondering why he was even doing this. 

He loved to lose himself in other people’s fantasies, in their joy and happiness. It was the only thing that made him forget his own emptiness. Sometimes if he stopped narrating and focused as hard as he could, he could almost believe that it was really him receiving the love and care other people dreamed about. So why didn’t other people want him, or at least want him for his power? 

Kabuki was forced to consider that maybe… everyone else didn’t need to see their fantasies because they were already happy. Their fantasies were already coming true. His dreams were already their reality, so nobody needed him. 

Just like Poor Conductor with his songs of the past, nobody needed him. 

Until all of a sudden, someone did. 

Haniwa had made it a habit to visit him instead of the doctor. They’d stopped having any formalities so Haniwa was sat next to him on the stage, with both of them dangling their legs over the edge. He’d taken off his hat and placed it on his carefully folded trenchcoat after Kabuki insisted he get comfortable. 

Kabuki glanced over the meticulously folded coat and had to admire Haniwa’s tidiness. He was so punctual and hardworking and very different from him, but not in a bad way. It made being around him interesting. He’d never met someone like him before. He was shy and gentle but he could tell even without his humble, domestic fantasy that he was a caring person. If a little lonely.

But then again, so was Kabuki. 

“Can you remember anything else this time?” Kabuki asked, idly fiddling with his fan. 

Haniwa touched his chin as he thought, “I remember… I remember home.” he repeated and Kabuki sighed. 

That was another reason Haniwa fascinated him. He’d never met anyone who was affected by his powers like this. No matter how many times he showed him his greatest fantasy, the man just forgot it. He just couldn’t figure out why Haniwa could never remember something that was clearly so important to him. 

“Do you remember what home looked like?” Bonsai Kabuki asked, “did you have a beautiful wife?” Haniwa had to smile at that.

“No. But… but I think- I think I remember,” his eye holes shifted slightly as he frowned, “there was someone waiting for me.”

Kabuki did a celebratory dance move. “That’s right! In your fantasy there is someone else there! Any idea who it might be?”

Kabuki’s grip on his fan tightened as he asked that question. As much as he joked about Haniwa having a beautiful wife the way he felt about it was anything but a joke. Kabuki wanted to know Haniwa’s relationship status just as badly, if not even more so, than he wanted to solve the mystery of his fantasy. 

Haniwa contemplated in silence while Kabuki held his breath. “No.” he said eventually, “No idea.” Bonsai Kabuki was relieved. 

Haniwa sighed. “It’s been a long day at the office,” he complained softly, removing his black tie. Kabuki couldn’t help but stare as he undid his top shirt buttons and revealed the edges of his clay collarbones. He kept staring as Haniwa neatly folded his tie on the clothes pile and accidentally caught their eyes as he did so.

“Is something the matter? Do I have something on my face?” he started scrubbing with his hand, “I need you to tell me if there’s something wrong with my business casual appearance- what’ll the boss say if I turn up looking a mess?”

“Oh, uh- ah ha ha!” Kabuki spluttered, his third eye darting around involuntarily as he frantically thought of a way out. “Well um- your boss you say. What’re they like?”

Haniwa removed his hand and looked at them blankly. He didn’t say anything for a while and then murmured. “I don’t know.”

Kabuki frowned in confusion. “You don’t know… what your own boss is like?”

“No.” Haniwa admitted. He clasped his hands together like he always did when he was stressed as the weird feeling he had about his life returned. He didn’t know what his boss was like, he didn’t know who he worked for, he didn’t know anything. 

He looked at Kabuki in anguish. While they hadn’t known each other very long Kabuki listened to him, unlike the doctor or the rat housekeeper. Bonsai Kabuki actually… seemed to care about him. If there was anyone he could confide in about his struggle, it was them. 

“I don’t know… why I’m doing this.” he admitted sorrowfully. 

“What do you mean?” Kabuki asked sympathetically. 

“I don’t know why I’m working. I don’t know… my reason anymore.”

“You don’t?”

Haniwa shook his head. “And I think that’s why I can’t see my fantasy. I think it has my reason for why I’m still here hidden in it- I think it has the thing that’s keeping me going.” he said slowly in a soft, sad voice that made Kabuki feel even more protective of his new friend, “That’s why I can’t see it. Because…I think I’m not supposed to have a reason anymore.”

“Why do you think you’re not supposed to have a reason? Doesn’t everyone have a reason for what they’re doing?” Kabuki reasoned. 

Haniwa shrugged. “It hurts more this way. Working and working and not knowing what I’m working for. And this place is built on hurt, isn’t it?”

Bonsai Kabuki knew he wasn’t talking about the theatre but about the strange world Gregory House inhabited. Or maybe it was the other way round and Gregory House was the creator of this strange limbo where everyone was doomed to live out a dark fantasy of their dreams. “Yeah… yeah I guess.” Kabuki admitted. He didn’t like to think about the world around him, much preferring to live in fantasies where he was safe from pain and sadness. It was this safety that he tried to share with others and remembering that, he cheered up a little. In a world as miserable as this, maybe he was important after all. “That’s why I show people their fantasies!” he proclaimed, “To escape from the grey world and live in a beautiful dream!”

“-And then wake up and find that nothing’s changed.” Haniwa said darkly. “And that it was just a pointless escape that didn’t help at all.”

Haniwa realised too late that he’d said something hurtful. All three of Bonsai Kabuki’s eyes widened and Haniwa had never seen someone almost cry from their third eye before. 

“I’m sorry! I- that came out wrong.” He said quickly, trying to make amends. 

Kabuki turned away and said curtly. “No I think it came out just as you intended.” 

Haniwa put a gentle hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off. Haniwa twitched his hand as he thought of what to say, how to fix things. Eventually he whispered sincerely, “I didn’t mean to insult you. I-” 

“Even if you didn’t- telling me that my fantasies aren’t important is just cruel!” Bonsai Kabuki snapped as he flailed his arms around. He was sick of being unappreciated and unloved. He was tired of being pushed aside and mocked for his talents, but most of all he was sick and tired of himself. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to have no one think you matter? No of course you don’t- not you with your mystery person humming in the kitchen as they fix you dinner. You complain about not knowing why you’re working so hard but does it matter when you can tell whoever you’re working for was so important to you? That even if you can’t remember them they’re still important? And that you’re still important to them?” He shouted. Haniwa had never seen him get so worked up about something. There were a few moments of quiet where the only sound was Kabuki’s ragged pants as he composed himself from his outburst. He looked away again and said in a pained voice; “I’ve been waiting for that my whole life… that’s my greatest fantasy; to be important to someone.”

Bonsai Kabuki wasn’t immune to his power, and with the ability to see fantasies came a hyper awareness of his own deepest desires. And that just made the fact that they could never come true hurt even more. He’d never told anyone about this, yet alone shown anyone. “Maybe I should show you my fantasy, for it’s also my despair.” 

He took a meaningful step toward Haniwa, who stumbled back anxiously. “Look into my third eye-” he commanded, “and _don’t_ look away.” 

Haniwa felt genuinely sick but it wasn’t from the world spinning as he entered Kabuki’s mind, it was from guilt at what he’d said. 

The world refocused and Haniwa was watching another fantasy- Kabuki’s fantasy. A bright light turned on above him to illuminate the familiar stage of the theatre, but this stage was much cleaner and brighter. Instead of the old splintery floor it was made out of polished, shining wood that a glittering Kabuki pranced down. There was the thunder of applause behind him and Haniwa turned to see an adoring audience. Kabuki did his show with more energy than Haniwa had ever seen them have. 

Watching them he was reminded of their first meeting and he felt the same hypnotic captivation with their movements. There was also a hint of jealousy. He remembered how he’d tripped and that he would never have that beautiful grace, nor did he have any sort of magical powers. He couldn’t do anything other than work. He’d assumed that someone with that much talent must be aware of how special they were. He’d assumed Bonsai Kabuki was a lot of things without realised how fragile the dancer really was. 

“To be loved when I’m on the stage,” Kabuki narrated his fantasy in a mournful voice. Haniwa stared at the ironically smiling fantasy Kabuki on the stage and wished he could see his real friend so he could comfort them. 

“But also-” Kabuki continued and the curtain dropped, trapping Haniwa and Bonsai Kabuki behind it. Kabuki turned excitedly to a voice calling them from the wings. Haniwa was reminded of what Kabuki had told him about his own fantasy, that he also had someone waiting for him. 

He hadn’t realised that Kabuki had shared his intense loneliness. That ironically, he wasn’t alone in feeling like that. 

“-to be loved offstage.” Kabuki’s narration finished and the last thing Haniwa saw before the fantasy faded was the fake Bonsai Kabuki smiling. Smiling at the joyful world around them that didn’t really exist. 

After the full vibrant theatre of Kabuki’s dream the real theatre looked dull and grey. And Bonsai Kabuki themselves looked much sadder. Haniwa noticed things about their appearance that he hadn’t before, like how their bonsai wasn’t the vibrant green it was supposed to be, or how the edges of their skirt were slightly frayed. He could see how vulnerable Kabuki was now, and his only desire was to help them like they’d helped him. 

He threw his arms around them and pulled them in close. “I think you’re important.” He said into their ear, or at least the area where their ear should have been. Either way, Kabuki felt a pleasant chill go through them at the feeling of his gentle breath on their face. 

Kabuki could only squeak “Really?” This sudden closeness was overwhelming- the warmth of his body through his work shirt, the smell of him, everything! Their head was spinning like it did when they entered a fantasy- which it felt like they had. Only this was a fantasy that was coming true. 

“Yes. Very.” Haniwa leaned back to face them, still holding them. “I wouldn’t miss work for anybody else.”

Kabuki looked into Haniwa’s gentle face and smiled slowly. He could tell that he meant what he was saying- that this was what he really thought of him, not the mean and thoughtless comment he’d let slip out earlier. 

“Maybe you’re right,” Haniwa continued, “Maybe I don’t need a reason. Or maybe I don’t need to waste my time searching for a past that’s no longer there and a reason I’m meant to forget. Maybe it’s time I found a new reason to keep going.”

Kabuki let himself touch Haniwa. He placed his hands on his arms and squeezed him reassuringly as he said “You can do it.”

Haniwa nodded and all too soon, he let go. Kabuki’s head was still reeling from the embrace so he could only nod at Haniwa as he explained that he had overtime he needed to work. Kabuki lovingly watched him gather up his things and slip off the stage. 

As he watched Haniwa go Bonsai Kabuki realised that he would never be able to show Haniwa his fantasies ever again. Because from this day forth they would all be about him. 

  
  
  
  



	3. Home Again

The weeks went by and while the theatre of fantasy didn’t change, Haniwa couldn’t help but think it’s star performer did. Kabuki’s bonsai had lost its sickly appearance and regained its healthy green glow. And Kabuki themselves was glowing. Their ceramic skin glinted like a precious ruby every time the spotlights hit them just right, and while Haniwa had been impressed by their nimble fan movements before, he was now drawn to the hands making the movements. They were the same brilliant red as the rest of the dancer’s body, completely different from Haniwa’s coffee coloured arms. 

Haniwa statues were made from coarse clay and his body seemed to be no different. His hands were roughly textured like the calloused hands of a hard worker, completely different from Bonsai Kabuki’s smooth looking surface. He was very curious about the other clay figure’s skin. He couldn’t but wonder… if he touched it, if he touched their delicate, fragile hands and face would they be just as smooth as they looked? Would they be warm? Would it feel nice? 

Most of the time Haniwa’s mind was focused on his never ending work, but he found that recently his mind had been wandering from whatever menial task he was doing to the theatre of dreams. Just as he wandered to it right now, as he had been doing a lot more often. 

Bonsai Kabuki was waiting for him on the stage as usual. “Do you want me to show you your fantasy?” he asked after they’d said hello to each other. 

“No.” All three of Bonsai Kabuki’s eyes widened at this. Haniwa didn’t want to see his fantasy? How could that be? That was why everyone came here, to see their fantasies… 

Unless Haniwa had come to see  _ him. _ Bonsai Kabuki blushed. While he couldn’t use his power on himself, he did have a very active imagination and quite a few fantasies of his own. Such as him teaching Haniwa how to dance, fixing him a cup of traditional Japanese tea after a long day- not like the garbage coffee he practically lived off. Him and Haniwa simply… being together. 

Haniwa shrugged off his trench coat while Kabuki watched him dreamily. “I’m on lunch break right now, wanted to pop in and say hi to my friend.” he muttered.

Kabuki grinned and quickly covered his smile with his fan. They were friends! He still couldn’t believe it! It was a fantasy come true. 

They sat down on the edge of the stage. And while they would have both denied it, recently they’d been sitting closer and closer together. 

“Let me tell ya, burning the candle at both ends is rough.” Haniwa complained, “Feels like all I do is work.”

Kabuki nodded sympathetically. “You know, you need to relax more. Get some fresh air. You are like… a bonsai.”

Haniwa scratched the back of his neck and looked confused. “Like a bonsai you say?”

“Yes! You are trapped in a small box- you need to let yourself be free!” Kabuki said in their usual over dramatic way, flailing their arms around and nearly hitting Haniwa. 

“Well,” the clay man responded, “I guess coming here is my way of being free.”

“Fantasies  _ do _ set us free.” Kabuki couldn’t agree with that more. Fantasy had always set his mind free. Especially when he fantasised about Haniwa, then it really felt like a weight had been lifted of his chest and the small box he’d been trapped in for so long was finally open. But being with the real thing… he glanced at Haniwa’s clay hand resting on the wooden stage, that was even more freeing. 

Haniwa was silent for a while, thinking over Kabuki’s words. “I’ve decided to stop… seeing  _ that _ fantasy.” He said eventually. “I’m not going to search for whatever lies in my past. I’m a different person now and whatever I see when I look into your third eye, it’s not there anymore.” he admitted sadly. 

Seeing Haniwa so sad and knowing what he’d lost always broke the dancer’s heart. He touched a fingertip to Haniwa’s hand, and then fully covered it with his own. He awkwardly patted it twice. His red face had somehow turned even redder and Haniwa had to smile at the gesture, slightly blushing himself. 

“But I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” Haniwa said softly. 

“You don’t? Even though your fantasy will never come true…” there was a note of genuine sadness in Kabuki’s voice. He cast his three eyes down to their touching hands. He knew how painful it was to have a beautiful fantasy that wouldn’t come true. 

“Who said my fantasy can’t come true?” Haniwa said. 

“But you said- But I thought…” Kabuki stuttered in confusion. 

“I’ve been thinking. And-” Haniwa inhaled sharply, “I have a different fantasy now.” he confessed. 

Kabuki cocked his head in a way Haniwa found just… adorable. “A different fantasy?”

“Yeah. I’d… really like to show it to you,” Kabuki noticed Haniwa’s blush for the first time, “but it’s embarrassing.” the man finished quietly.

Bonsai Kabuki couldn’t help but laugh. “Please.” he snorted, “I won’t expose anyone but I have seen some truly  _ humiliating _ fantasies in my time.” He leaned over wickedly, covering his mouth with his fan. “Cough cough Catherine cough cough.” 

To his surprise and delight Haniwa’s blush worsened. “I-I can assure you it’s not like that.” he said quickly. 

“Hmhm… okay~” Normally Kabuki was the one who got flustered when they were together, and Haniwa was always cool headed and sensible. Seeing him blushing like an idiot was so unusual and so endearing, Kabuki couldn’t help but want to push him further. 

Kabuki hadn’t flirted with anyone in a very long time and he knew he was probably rusty. But he pushed his self consciousness aside and tried to murmur in a sultry voice, “You know, you’re cute when you’re all flustered.” 

The effect on Haniwa was devastating. “I’m not flustered.” he squeaked. 

“Really? Kabuki cocked two of his eyebrows and went in again, “If this is you not flustered then I can’t imagine how red you go when you’re embarrassed.” 

Haniwa laughed nervously and didn’t say anything. Kabuki started to worry that he’d made his friend uncomfortable (or maybe he was just terrible at flirting) when Haniwa shyly turned his hand over so their palms were touching. All three of Kabuki’s eyes widened. 

They were  _ definitely _ flirting. 

They were both struck dumb and just sat together, tongue tied and red faced. Both marvelling at the first intimacy they’d had since coming to Gregory House. 

“I think I’m ready to show you my fantasy now,” Haniwa said eventually, his soft voice barely above a whisper. It was so cute and gentle that Bonsai Kabuki felt even more embarrassed and even more attracted to him. 

He was way too embarrassed to lift his head and look Haniwa in the eye- or in the eye holes, as they were. But there was another reason. Even if Haniwa couldn’t remember, there was someone else in his fantasy. Deep down inside Haniwa was still yearning for somebody else. Kabuki only ever thought about him, so knowing this hurt. It hurt even more than Catherine taking blood from him.

“I need to see your face to show you.” Haniwa said again and something about this convinced Kabuki to raise his head. 

Haniwa’s face had become the most beautiful thing in the world to him, so as they stared into each other’s eyes he couldn’t tell if the world was swimming from him entering a fantasy, or just from his head spinning because of  _ him. _

His vision refocused. 

It was just a simple drab bedroom- evidently belonging to a cheap apartment. Haniwa’s apartment. It was as familiar to him now as his own home. 

The fantasy moved to Haniwa. He walked down a dimly lit street that was covered in the fog only Gregory House had, his walk grew less sluggish and more energetic with each step he took closer to his home. Till he was practically running to open the door. The jingle of his keys was heard and behind it there was… something else. It was the humming from before, though the door muffled it so it sounded slightly different and deeper. Kabuki’s heart sank at the realisation that Haniwa still missed his mystery spouse, but he forced himself to narrate as the fantasy’s words unfolded in his mind;

“Coming home from work and having a homemade dinner already made for you, knowing you don’t have to work tomorrow.” Haniwa inserted the key. 

“-Knowing that instead you can spend the day with-” Haniwa opened the door to reveal not his wife, or his child, or anyone else for that matter but “ME?!”

For standing in the door frame, still absent-mindedly humming, was none other than Bonsai Kabuki. Haniwa grinned at the Kabuki in front of him, and the real thing watched, open mouthed as they hugged. He remembered the hug they’d shared when he showed Haniwa his own fantasy and was elated to realise at last he knew what it felt like; What it was like when someone loves you. 

Fantasy Kabuki’s red hand touched the back of Haniwa’s head, pushing him down into their shoulder to nuzzle it, then turning his head to plant a kiss on their neck. Kabuki saw himself smile a genuine, blissful smile as the door swung shut like a curtain being drawn and they returned to reality. 

They were still sat staring at each other, mirroring each other’s surprised expressions. Kabuki realised they were still holding hands and had been the entire time. 

“S-so, um…” Haniwa began anxiously, “not exactly my usual business presentation but did I- did I do alright?”

“It was wonderful. Haniwa, is it… is it really true?”

He nodded.

Bonsai Kabuki smiled from ear to ear, or would have smiled ear to ear if they had ears. Haniwa smiled back and they grinned at each other like idiots. Bonsai Kabuki couldn’t remember the last time they’d been this happy. They lent forward with their arm slightly outstretched and looked at Haniwa as if asking for permission. Haniwa leaned forward to match and they pulled each other in close, finally letting go of each other’s hands to hold one another.

Kabuki had always wondered whether you actually had to experience things like love, or if just imagining them was enough, but the feeling they had now couldn’t be argued with. They’d always said that fantasies were trapped within a small box, and that only his powers could set them free. But he realised now that wasn’t true. So long as a fantasy was still a fantasy, it was still trapped. And so was he. “I feel like I’ve been set free.” he said, his voice muffled by Haniwa’s warm shoulder.

“Oh I’m… I’m so happy to hear that.” Haniwa gushed, “All this time that I’ve been here I’ve been worrying and worrying about my life. I don’t know why I’m working- I had no reason to keep going. But now I, well, if it’s okay may I make a business proposal?”

Kabuki pulled back to look at his face again. The emotion in Haniwa’s face was genuine and pleading. Kabuki’s heart melted. He’d always wanted someone to ask him this, and for it to be Haniwa of all people! “Go ahead.”

“Will you be my reason?”

“Yes.” Kabuki said intensely, pouring as much of their devotion into that one word as they could to let Haniwa know that they would always care for him. 

Haniwa smiled warmly. Then he looked away and asked quietly “Will you be my partner too?”

Kabuki had to grin, “Aren’t I already? Look at you hm, you sly dog,” He patted the arms Haniwa had around him, “You can’t get enough of me~”

Haniwa fumed. While he knew it was just teasing getting so easily flustered was embarrassing. He wanted to wipe that smirk off their stupidly handsome face and have them be flustered for once. 

A sudden bold idea came to him. It was perfect. “O-Oh yeah?” he tried to say in a cool voice, “Well… well if I can’t get enough of you then I may as well do THIS!”

Haniwa put his hand on the back of Kabuki’s head, mirroring the way Kabuki had touched him in his fantasy, and pushed their faces together. There was the slight clack of clay touching as they kissed for the first time. 

Kabuki was frozen. Haniwa… was _ kissing him? _ And it was real?! It was too good to be true and as his own mouth trembled against the lips of his new boyfriend he was convinced that he was in a fantasy. The most beautiful, soft, tender fantasy on earth. 

Then it was like a switch was flicked and their body reacted. He twisted his head to kiss Haniwa deeper and they caressed each other- he rubbed his hands lovingly down Haniwa’s tired back and Haniwa touched first his face and then his slender arms, like he’d always wanted. When they finally pulled away it felt more like resurfacing from being underwater. They were both gasping for breath- and Haniwa had turned red enough to pass for Kabuki without facial markings. 

They stared at each other again but it was different now. He couldn’t help but notice new things about the dancer, like the fullness of their lips now that he knew what they felt like, or how the clay of their face was slightly malleable- like skin. And so soft and nice to touch. It wasn’t awkward to look at each other now. After they’d shared an intimacy like that just being together like this felt so right and natural. 

Like clockwork Haniwa let his head fall on their shoulder. Kabuki put a hand on the back of his head so he could nuzzle them, his fantasy coming true. 

Haniwa thought about his fantasy then. The one he’d just unveiled and the enigmatic, mysterious one he’d had before. Kabuki had said there’d been someone waiting for him. That he’d had a home, sometime somewhere…

But all that was gone now. But this, he pressed his face into his partner’s neck, this was real. This was comforting. This was what he was going to protect from now on, this is what he’d get up to work for. This is what he’d come home to. 

“Honey,” Haniwa whispered into Kabuki’s neck, “I’m home.” 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank u to Ven Gayass for beta-ing this (on here as Venitrii) fr can't wait to read your own writing in it's entirety when you post it! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Image drawn by Vennitrii - you can find the on tumblr as vennitrii and on twitter as vennitrii, on youtube as VENNITRII-YT, and on discord as ikea-ballpit#7925 :)


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